Pacman questions teammates' loyalty

Want a good laugh? Read what the Titans are going through with their first rounder.

Pacman questions teammates' loyalty

Critical of Bulluck, Haynesworth

By JIM WYATT
Staff Writer

When the Titans used their first-round draft pick on cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, they envisioned him bonding quickly with his new teammates and becoming a big contributor on a reshaped defense.

Barely a month before the season opener it's clear that plenty of patchwork will be needed — on the field and in the locker room — once Jones arrives in Nashville.

Players have been critical of Jones during his contract holdout, now in its 12th day. Yesterday he fired back.

"It really is biting at me,'' Jones said by phone.

"My teammates, I don't think they've been as loyal as they should have been in this situation. A lot of other guys around the league are holding out and my teammates are the only ones that are saying negative stuff about me."

Jones said he is particularly perturbed with veteran linebacker Keith Bulluck.

"It bothers me that I am not on the field," Jones said. "But then I have to hear Keith Bulluck talking about me, how he doesn't even know who Pacman is. …

"As far as my teammate and everything, that will never change. But as far as the respect level off the field and me calling him for advice, that will never happen now."

Jones, the No. 6 overall draft pick, remains without a contract. His agent, Michael Huyghue, plans to be in Nashville later this week to meet with Titans General Manager Floyd Reese, but yesterday the two sides were no closer to a deal.

"No letters, no talks,'' Reese said.

Jones is working out in Jacksonville and keeping up with the Titans via the Internet. He said he's tried repeatedly to get in touch with Bulluck and has also noticed comments from defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who was a holdout in 2002.

"The kid, what's his name? Haynesworth? He missed four days. The little stuff he is saying is irrelevant," Jones said.

"But Keith saying he is not going to call me Pacman, he is going to call me Adam — 'Who is Adam? I don't know if this guy can help us' — that is a little outrageous for my teammate to say that.''

Between practices yesterday, Bulluck said he's been playing "phone tag" with Jones.

"I am in camp. I don't know what he is doing all day," said Bulluck, who was a 2003 Pro Bowl selection and is regarded as the leader of the defense. "So if I call him when I have time off and he calls me back when I am at practice, I can't control that. If he really needs to get in touch with me he knows how.''

Said Jones: "He called me at
7 o'clock in the morning when he knows I am not going to answer the phone. I have called Keith about 20 times and left messages. Every time I call he doesn't answer. I have gotten to the point where I am not calling him any more.''

Jones said if Bulluck is trying to pressure him to report to training camp by criticizing him, it's not working.

"There ain't no pressure because Keith has never been in the situation I am in — Keith ain't never been drafted high,'' Jones said. "I don't feel any pressure. I play football, and pressure on the field is irrelevant."

Bulluck was the No. 30 overall pick in 2000.

As for how Bulluck might react to his comments, Jones said: "It really doesn't matter. I hope he responds like a man and tries to call me and talk to me and see what is going on with me. But for the most part I am not here to please Keith or nobody, I am in Tennessee to play football ... That is the only reason.''

Told of Jones' comments after yesterday's late practice, Bulluck appeared angry but did not comment. Coach Jeff Fisher said Jones and his future teammates are speaking out of frustration.

"Once he gets here things will settle down," Fisher said. "They want him here. They are going to show him the way once he gets here. … Pac has a responsibility and only one responsibility, and that is to come here and get to work. That is all he should be concerned about.

"We just finished our 16th practice. There is an average of 40-50 team reps in each practice and to my knowledge he has not participated in any of them. He needs to get here and play ball and be a member of this team.''

Earlier yesterday, Bulluck said he's not sure how Jones will be received when he is finally in a Titans uniform and blamed Huyghue for not having Jones in camp by now. Jones used to be represented by Bulluck's agent, Gary Wichard, but Jones fired him not long after the draft to go with Huyghue.

"It is not really up to me, it is the whole team. I don't get into hazing or things like that, but it is how the team will embrace him,'' Bulluck said. "He is just going to have to endure whatever comes with holding out for two weeks and after that we'll move on. He is going to be with us for years and is going to help us.

"He doesn't have to answer to me. He has to answer to his teammates. I am just one player on this team.'' •

"Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning." --- Hesiod

Re: Pacman questions teammates' loyalty

Pacman was quoted further as saying: "starting an NFL career is tough. I feel like I'm running through a maze and I'm always being chased. Its hard to relax. I'm constantly eating and running, eating and running. The best part is when I get to do the chasing, but that always seems to be short lived."

Re: Pacman questions teammates' loyalty

"But then I have to hear Keith Bulluck talking about me, how he doesn't even know who Pacman is.

I hate it when people speak about themselves in 3rd person. You'll never catch HUbison doing that, that's for sure.

"Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning." --- Hesiod

Re: Pacman questions teammates' loyalty

Re: Pacman questions teammates' loyalty

I actually feel sorry for this Pacman guy...to get in trouble with the law before you've evn signed you contract and then to hold out and have teammates question you. That would be rough. But if I was him, I wouldn't have given them the opportunity in the first place. I would have stayed as far away from the law as possible and made sure I was in camp on time. Maybe he just needs to grow up...